Till Doomsday
by fightingdreamersx
Summary: Recurring nightmares haunt Itachi's nights, becoming increasingly vivid as the seasons change. But among those are dreams. Intimate dreams of his best friend who he had never even thought about in such a light. Jittery and on edge, Itachi's feelings for Shisui slowly become clouded. As the seasons change, so does the atmosphere between the two. A tale of the love between the two no
1. Premonition

_Blood saturating the thin, paper walls, forever staining them. The screams of terror, interrupted by the sound of blood gurgling. The sickly sound of a sword piercing through flesh and life. Life draining from dark eyes. The Mangekyo Sharingan awakening, the bright red instilling terror into anyone and everyone. _

Itachi's eyes shot open, his senses heightened and alert. He sat up in his bed and found that he was breathing heavily. He fluttered his eyes shut and sighed, attempting to calm himself. Lazily slinging his arm over his eyes, he felt moisture being transferred onto his face. Itachi sat up and realised his sheets were soaked in a cold sweat, the sides of his raven black hair sticking to his temples. His heart still thumped violently as the aftermath of that strange dream. Something felt… strange. Paranoid that Itachi was in an enemy's genjutsu, he formed the handsign to release the jutsu but nothing happened.

_Could that dream have been a vision of the future?_

Itachi shook his head, trying to get the disturbing images out of his mind. He could still hear the screams. With little to no success, the Uchiha sat up and decided to start his morning by changing his sheets and showering.

* * *

With a sigh, Itachi laid down on the tatami floor leading to their garden, his silky locks fanning out around him. He gazed at the clouds slowly floating by. Itachi had received strict instructions from the doctor to not overexert himself after their last disastrous mission. Their team had had a close encounter with death because they had underestimated the enemy and their resources. Half of the team, including Itachi himself had ended up almost dead. As a result, Team Ro had a break from missions for a week.

Itachi was at a loss of what to do with himself. He was on missions half of the time and the other half, he would train or spar with Shisui. He didn't really have any hobbies because being a member of the ANBU took up so much of his time. It was silent within the vicinity except for the sound of the bamboo fountain flowing. Time passed painfully slow.

This was torture. Itachi felt restless. Lazing around and relaxing wasn't for him, he hated feeling so idle. His mind drifted back to that strange dream. Something felt… off. Almost as if the balance of the earth had shifted. It was a very subtle difference, but difference nonetheless. Itachi had a weird feeling deep in his gut when he woke with a start, and as soon as he stepped foot onto the floor, his surroundings seemed unfamiliar. Shisui would probably tell him he was just over-analyzing things.

_Shisui…_

Itachi inwardly groaned. More recently, he had been feeling really nervous around him. Of course, he made sure to maintain his stoic and expressionless demeanor as to not raise any suspicion. It was an impressive feat, really, as Shisui was an expert at reading Itachi and it didn't seem like he had picked up on anything suspicious yet. The Uchiha didn't know the underlying reason behind these feelings of nervousness and he was reluctant to find out. As a result, he had been slightly avoiding Shisui for the past few days, blaming it on chakra exhaustion every time the older Uchiha came to check in on him.

Another melancholic sigh left Itachi's lips. He didn't know how much longer he could abuse that excuse. Lost in thought, he heard a faint knock on the door and instantly sensed Shisui's chakra. Speak of the devil. Itachi quickly stood up and moulded his features into his usual expression before opening the door.

"Yo, 'tachi," Shisui greeted him cheerfully.

"Good morning Shisui."

"How you feeling? Finally up for training with me, princess?" A gleam of mischievousness danced in Shisui's obsidian eyes. Itachi scoffed.

"So-so. And stop calling me that, I don't want the others to misunderstand anything." Shisui wiggled his eyebrows in mock suggestiveness.

"Well then, it's fine if I call you that behind closed doors… just the two of us, _princess?" _ His voice thickened. Itachi tried hard to maintain a bored and unimpressed facade. That same feeling of anxiety pooled into his chest. Shisui grinned.

"If you insist."

"Oh but I do...," he purred. Itachi's resolve collapsed and he slightly blushed. Shisui cackled loudly.

"I love teasing you 'tachi, your face is priceless everytime!" Shisui's laugh was contagious and Itachi found himself chuckling as well.

"You avoided my question though. You up for training today or not?" Itachi sighed. Guess there was no way he could continue dodging Shisui. He tilted his head, indicating for the latter to come in. Shisui ran into Itachi's bedroom and flopped on his bed, glomping his pillow. Itachi shook his head.

"I just changed the sheets, you know. You're worse than Sasuke." Shisui's eyes narrowed and a smirk pulled at his features.

"And why did you have to change the sheets, _princess? _Perhaps a little… 'accident' occurred? Or... was it an accident at all?" Itachi sputtered indignantly.

"It was nothing of the sort. It was the result of a nightmare." Shisui raised his eyebrows. He couldn't say that he was surprised. After all, Itachi was an elite member of ANBU and he had seen a lot on the battlefield. He hummed in response.

Itachi busied himself by packing his ninja tool pouch and wrapping bandages around his forearms. He felt Shisui's gaze prickling against his back but he tried hard to ignore it. Itachi pulled his night shirt off and searched through his drawer for the more traditional turtleneck style he wore. Shisui stared as every muscle on the Uchiha's back contracted and relaxed against his milky skin. Itachi had several faded scars on his back, none recent. Shisui felt relieved. He knew Itachi was almost untouchable on the battlefield but he still worried for his friend. Shisui realized he had been staring for too long just as Itachi finished gathering his silky hair into his usual ponytail. Itachi raised an eyebrow at him.

"Space out like that on the battlefield and you'll be dead within seconds." Itachi feigned arrogance when in reality he was embarrassed to be scrutinised so hard. Shisui rolled his eyes in mock offence.

"Got it, _princess._"

* * *

The foliage of the Uchiha Forest slowly came into view as the two weightlessly jumped from branch to branch. Itachi and Shisui had been training here together ever since they were children and that had not changed. It was always the place that Itachi came to ponder about his missions and blow off some steam. The trees all had deep indentation marks from the countless shuriken and kunais the two threw. Shisui leaped down to the forest floor, breaking his fall by falling into a squat and Itachi followed suite.

"So… what are we doing today then?" Itachi enquired. Shisui put his finger on his chin and pretended to think.

"Well, since you're still formally on medical leave, how 'bout some light sparring and evasion training?"

"Alright." Shisui grinned mischievously.

"You're going down 'tachi."

"I beg to differ."

And with that, the pair's eyes flashed red. Itachi ran full speed at Shisui but within a flash, he showed up behind him.

"Too slow, princess."

Itachi managed to jump back enough just before Shisui tried kicking his legs out under him. The latter was onto him again and Itachi managed to block a side punch by meeting it with his own. Shisui's movements were ridiculously quick but Itachi managed to block all of his attacks thanks to his Sharingan and quick reflexes. The two drew out kunais and the sound of metal against metal echoed in the forest. Shisui grazed Itachi's arm before crows erupted everywhere with a loud 'caw'. Momentarily stunned, Itachi took advantage of that and flipped Shisui on his back, kunai to the throat. Shisui grunted as his back collided with the forest floor.

"Not bad, especially in your current condition. Guess you're not an elite ANBU for nothing." Itachi offered Shisui his hand and Shisui took it, getting up. He dusted himself off before throwing Itachi on the ground and pinning him down.

"'_A shinobi must always see through deception' _ As old man Hiruzen always said." Shisui grinned. Itachi shot him an unimpressed look but felt himself tense up when Shisui sat down on his hips.

"Now what 'tachi? Your enemy has immobilised you and you're about to die. What do you do?" Shisui shifted on his hips and Itachi struggled to control his expression. The way Shisui was looking down on the younger Uchiha really didn't help. Those deep brown eyes of his were glazed over with an unknown emotion and Itachi swallowed. He tried kicking Shisui off him but he had much more muscle density compared to him and was heavier. Shisui simply pinned the latter's arms down and shifted his weight.

"Ah, ah, ah… You can't win by sheer force here, _princess_. The enemy is much stronger in this situation." Itachi clenched his jaw.

"Shisui for the love of all that is good in this world, get off me or I'll put you under a genjutsu." Shisui knew that wasn't just an empty threat and he released the younger Uchiha.

"Sorry, sorry." Itachi's heart raced and he dusted himself off.

"You go too far with this whole teasing thing sometimes…" Itachi mumbled.

"What was that? Did you say something?" Itachi bit back the million insults on his tongue.

"Get your ears checked," is all he said before they continued sparring.

* * *

Itachi was absolutely exhausted after a day of nothing but sparring with Shisui who was in fact a more than worthy opponent. He sat on a log and drank the remaining water he had. The sun was setting and the two were covered in dirt and scratch marks. Itachi was pretty sure he had a nasty bruise developing on his thigh from where Shisui had hit particularly hard.

"You've gotten better y'know…" Shisui panted. Itachi hummed in response. He couldn't wait to get a mission, he felt antsy. Until then, he'd continue sparring with Shisui.

"So what was that nightmare about?" Shisui sat down in front of Itachi and looked at him. A mixture of worry and endearment was present in his tone and the younger felt a twinge in his heart. He hesitated before continuing softly:

"It was about death. There were a lot of screams of anguish, blood splattering onto walls and I saw the Mangekyo Sharingan." Itachi pulled a strand of silky lock behind his ear as Shisui sat in silence.

"I was thinking that… maybe it was a vision of the future? As soon as I woke up, something felt off. Something about my surroundings felt unfamiliar even though I've had this room since I was 7. It's almost as if the balance of the earth had slightly shifted. I was convinced I was under an enemy's genjutsu and I tried to release it but nothing happened." Shisui chuckled lightly at Itachi's attention to every detail. He stopped laughing as soon as he made eye contact with Itachi who had an iron hard expression.

"You… think this is a sign?" Itachi nodded.

"A sign of what though? As far as I know affairs between Konoha and other villages are benign. A war doesn't seem imminent." A silence filled the air.

"...but what if it's not Konoha that will be attacked? What if it's the Uchiha clan?"

"What? That's ridiculous 'tachi. Why would they?"

"Think about it Shisui. The Konoha hierarchy suspects our clan was the cause of the demon fox attack. There is no other way to control a tailed beast unless the one controlling it wields the Sharingan." Shisui knitted his brows.

"Not only that but majority of the Uchiha become possessed by the curse of the Uchiha, bloodlust and revenge. It wouldn't be a surprise if Konoha wanted to wash their hands of the Uchiha." Itachi continued. Shisui seemed to be deep in thought.

"Well… it's definitely an option… if Konoha is truly plotting against us, you need to tell me 'tachi. I only want what's best for the village…"

"I will try to find out more on the subject while I'm with the ANBU. This is just a baseless theory with no evidence at the moment. If any proof rises to the surface, I will inform the clan about it." Shisui patted his friend's shoulder comfortingly. He knew this was a big burden to carry.

"It's what's best for the village. I only want peace."

Itachi's shoulder burned feverishly where Shisui had touched him.


	2. Birth

_Blood saturating thin, paper walls. The piercing shrieks and screams followed by sounds of blood gurgling. The sickly sound of a sword penetrating human flesh. Life fading from dark eyes. A dark-haired woman and man falling forward as their lifeless bodies hit the ground. The Mangekyo Sharingan, blood dripping down a milky white cheek. _

Itachi gasped as he sat up in bed, eyes shooting open. A feeling of anxiety weighed down on his chest and he took several deep breaths to calm down. The same nightmare. Three days had passed since Itachi's last episode. This time the dream was more vivid, almost as if it was a faded memory at the back of the Uchiha's head. Itachi rubbed his eyes with the base of his palm. The sides of his raven black hair stuck to his temples. Once again, Itachi would have to change the sheets.

* * *

Shisui strolled through the streets of Konoha, his gait upright and firm. It was his day off in weeks and Fugaku had so graciously assigned him the morning patrol of the Konoha Military Police Force. The streets were mostly deserted so Shisui could take it easy. Amongst the elder merchants, Shisui was treated like a son. Everytime he walked by a merchant's stall, a little gift would be bestowed upon him such as some onigiri or mochi as a 'thank you for his hard work in keeping the village safe.' Shisui munched on some onigiri as he hadn't had time for breakfast that morning. His patrol would be over by five if he had no incidents to report. Shisui spaced out and found his mind drifting away.

_Itachi…_

A goofy grin stretched onto the man's lips. He was hopelessly in love with Itachi Uchiha. What started out as a brotherly bond only escalated for Shisui as he saw more of Itachi's sides. Shisui soon realised that Itachi was no longer a boy he could carry on his back, a blissful innocence once forgotten. When Shisui was 18 and Itachi was 16, he soon realised that what he felt for the boy was no longer platonic. Itachi's body was no longer slender and svelte. Muscle began building on his once childish frame and light scars began marking his pale skin. The gleam of innocence in his eyes was replaced by maturity and knowledge. Itachi's once soft features sharpened and became more prominent. The air around Itachi became more refined.

Shisui recalled the way Itachi's sharp tongue would poke out and lick the corners of his lips, lapping up all the remaining sauce from his favourite treat, dango. The way he would sigh in content and smile as he savoured every bite. The way Itachi's eyes flashed red intimidatingly as he fought with all his might on the battlefield, his comrades' safety being the number one priority to him. The way Itachi's neutral expression occasionally cracked as Shisui teased him and his cheeks would be painted in the most beautiful shade of red, contrasting against his snowy complexion. The way Shisui could practically hear the gears in Itachi's head sputtering to a halt as soon as he scrutinised the younger under his burning gaze. The worried expression that would paint Itachi's ethereal features whenever he visited Shisui in hospital. The smile full of adoration that would etch onto his features whenever he spoiled Sasuke. The wrinkles that would embed themselves into his brow as he frowned when he had his blue days.

Shisui wished he could shield Itachi from the cruelness of the world and kiss all his pain away. He wished he could run his hands through those silky locks of his, hold him to his chest and whisper words of healing into his ear. Shisui wished he could cleanse all of the darkness in his heart with fluttering touches and gentle strokes. But Itachi was like a rose with thorns; dangerously beautiful to the eye yet one would cut their hand if they got too close. Shisui sighed melancholically. It would take a miracle for Itachi to love him back as more than a brother. It would be best if he kept his love a secret for now; the younger Uchiha was already stressed to the max with his position as an elite ANBU serving the Hokage. He didn't want to add more weight onto his shoulders. However Shisui decided that he would continue teasing his friend, his reactions were too adorable and he needed an outlet to release his frustrations for the past two years.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set, soft ambers and pinks painting the sky. The soft breeze blew gently past the windchimes of Itachi's favourite dango shop, Kobayashi, a gentle melody soothing the younger Uchiha. Itachi took a seat in the outer area, under an umbrella. Nervousness began pooling into his lower stomach and he felt his innards tie in a knot. Shisui had told him to meet up at the eatery at 7pm, it would be his treat. When Itachi had questioned him as to why, Shisui had simply replied with 'you're like a younger brother to me and I felt like spoiling you today.' Itachi wasn't sure why he felt so disappointed. Itachi leaned his cheek against his palm and sighed. He felt even more on edge today due to the reoccurrence of that nightmare. The images were burned into his memory. Despite training with Sasuke for majority of the day, he hadn't expended as much energy as he would when Shisui was his opponent. Itachi tapped his fingers on the wooden table, feeling more restless than ever. As usual, the latter was late.

_Where was Shisui?_

That afternoon, Itachi had bumped into his ANBU team captain, Kakashi Hatake, while sent out on errands by his mother.

"Yo, Itachi." The younger Uchiha crisply bowed.

"Good evening, Kakashi-_san_." Said man waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"You make me feel so old whenever you address me like that," he light-heartedly joked.

"I apologise for causing you discomfort." Kakashi simply ruffled his hair affectionately.

"No need to be so formal, Itachi. How are you handling the break?"

"Well… if I'm honest… not very well. I haven't been doing anything for the past few days except spar and help my little brother train," he sheepishly admitted. Kakashi chuckled in amusement, a glint of mischief shining in his eye.

"Well lucky for you, I have something you could occupy yourself with. Helps time go by faster." Kakashi reached into his bag of freshly purchased goods and took out a green book, identical to the one he always held. He handed it to the Uchiha and a look of confusion made its way onto his face.

"It's a _book_, Itachi."

"Well yes, I gathered that much. But isn't it-"

"Oh my, would you look at the time! I promised to help an old lady carry her groceries. See you around!" There was no mistaking the apathy in his voice. With a _poof, _the copy-nin disappeared, leaving a gust of white smoke behind. Itachi stood glued to his spot, not knowing what to make of the situation. His team captain had just handed him a book that contained… _questionable content_ and had encouraged the younger to read it. When he arrived home, Itachi had procrastinated from reading the book for as long as possible. Eventually he gave in and opened the first page.

"_Icha Icha Paradise_…"

Itachi had to admit, the first few chapters were written very well and the heroine's character was impressively complex. The cliffhangers drew him in but about six chapters in, the lewd content began. Itachi's eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets when he read the first line and he hurled the book against the wall in embarrassment. He felt his cheeks heating up. Never again, he vowed to himself. The thought that Kakashi gave him the travesty of a book because he was 'innocent' and 'inexperienced' did cross his mind. Lost in thought, Itachi didn't notice Shisui appearing in front of him out of nowhere. The younger Uchiha yelped and almost fell backwards. Shisui cackled, holding his sides.

"Nice to see you too 'tachi," amusement present in his tone. Itachi took a deep breath in to calm his pounding heart.

"Can you at least, warn me next time? A tap on the shoulder would be nice instead of a sudden apparition…" Shisui smirked. _Was he pouting?_

"Sorry _princess, _got a little held back with your father. Had to re-submit a report." Itachi grimaced at the nickname and glared at Shisui in a way that said 'call me that one more time and I swear to god-'.

"Anyway, what'cha do today? Sorry we couldn't spar."

"It's alright, I understand. I trained Sasuke for most of the day." Shisui raised an eyebrow.

"Heh, that's it? I don't know how you live like this 'tachi. I'd be bored outta my mind." Itachi sighed.

"I am. I can't wait to get a mission. I'm going crazy from boredom." Shisui waved over one of the waitresses.

"Shisui! Itachi! I haven't seen you two here for a while." A high-pitched voice pierced through Itachi's eadrums. The waitress smiled brightly and adjusted her hair self-consciously. She placed two cups of matcha in front of the two respectively.

"Yeah we've been busy with missions, Aiko." Shisui flashed her his lady-killer smile, intended to charm women only. Aiko giggled and pulled a curl behind her ear. Itachi felt anger bubbling up within and he glared disdainfully at her.

"The usual?"

"Yep. Oh and make Itachi's sweeter, you know how much of a sweet-tooth he has."

"Of course!" Aiko disappeared into the back. Itachi cleared his throat.

"Nice girl, isn't she?" Itachi felt himself getting even more irritated.

"Mm. She reminds me of a dog. Wagging her tail like that," he spat. The younger Uchiha simply sipped on his tea elegantly. Shisui simpered and put his calloused hand on top of Itachi's.

"Aww, is my princess jealous?" Itachi nearly spat his tea out. He quickly retracted his hand, a light blush surfacing on his cheeks.

"Who would be?" He asked, indignantly. Shisui inwardly laughed. Oh, how he loved Itachi's innocent reactions. He longed for the day where they could hold hands and intertwine their fingers together.

"Hmm, you're right. Who would be?" He echoed vaguely. Aiko reappeared and served them their order.

"Thank you," Itachi politely said, trying to keep the chagrin out of his tone. Aiko smiled sweetly at him.

"You're welcome. And please be careful on your missions, we wouldn't want to lose a loyal customer." Itachi felt his anger subsiding instantly. How childish, he thought to himself. Getting jealous over what? For what? A comfortable silence enveloped them as the two began savouring the dango. Itachi shared the anecdote of Kakashi and his erotic gift and Shisui comically snorted tea out of his nose. The two were in peels of laughter by the end of the story, tears streaming down Itachi's face. No amount of training made the younger Uchiha's abdomen ache so badly. Shisui threw his head back, coughing and hacking from the excessive laughter. Itachi hadn't felt so giddy in a while.

"Classic Kakashi," Shisui managed after all the laughter.

"For a minute I thought he gave me the book with the message that I'm too innocent and inexperienced," Itachi mused. Shisui shot the younger a look.

"Well I mean, he's not _wrong_. How many people have you kissed?"

"...that has nothing to do with being a shinobi. I've killed hundreds on the battlefield so I highly doubt I'm 'innocent'," Itachi quoted with his fingers in the air.

"But that doesn't change the fact that you haven't kissed anyone," Shisui sang. Itachi chose to remain silent and continued eating. He licked the sweet soy sauce off of his lips. Shisui watched, his eyes smouldering. He gulped. Itachi was way too defenseless around him. He had primal instincts as well, needs that he was constantly suppressing. He didn't want to risk getting tortured in an infinite time space, but either way, Shisui would be able to pounce on him and win through sheer strength. Not that he would, Itachi would kill him. The two finished eating and sipped on the remaining tea. The younger Uchiha basked in the gentle breeze, tendrils of his sleek locks gently swaying, gazing in the distance. Shisui swore he had never seen a sight as bewitching and divine in his twenty years of life. In that moment, Itachi looked like an angel, a higher power from God. He hadn't realised he was staring.

"Is there something on my face?" The younger enquired, mirth evident in his tone.

"Yeah, soy sauce," Shisui countered back.

"Oh." Itachi started blindly wiping his mouth.

"Is it gone?"

"No, it's right there- No, there-" Shisui sighed impatiently after the younger's failed attempts to wipe it off.

"Stay still." Shisui stood up and reached across the table. He cupped Itachi's cheek with one hand and with his thumb, he gently wiped the sauce off. He sat down and licked it off his thumb, making eye contact with the younger. A feverish chill ran up Itachi's spine and he couldn't hold back the shiver. His cheek tingled pleasantly. He felt heat crawling up from his neck to his face and he was sure he was bright red. Itachi cleared his throat, controlling his expression and moulding it back into his neutral one.

"We should probably get going."

"Yeah, it's getting dark." Shisui took out some coins and left them on the table before departing with his flustered friend.

* * *

Shades of navy and indigo painted the sky, stars delicately adorning it. The chilly breeze nipped at Itachi's back as it blew through his turtleneck shirt. He would have brought a jacket had he anticipated he would be staying out longer. Shisui had been smart enough to bring one wrapped around his waist. The two walked down the well-lit streets of Konoha, visiting stalls, Itachi stocking up on more bandages and camelia shampoo. Loud drums and flutes could be heard in the distance.

"What's with the music?" Itachi mumbled to himself as they lazily strolled.

"Hmm? Ahh, it's a parade to honour the 2nd anniversary of the Sandaime. If we stick around for long, we may even see the fireworks display..." Shisui replied. He glanced at Itachi beseechingly through his lashes. The younger softened.

"Shisui, it's late. I have to get going soon..."

"Pleaaaase?" Itachi sighed. He was always weak to Shisui's puppy eyes. It was almost tragic how easily the latter managed to manipulate him.

"Fine, fine. Just... stop looking at me like that." Shisui grinned.

"You're the best, y'know that?" Itachi simply hit Shisui's shoulder in response and the latter's grin widened.

"Let's watch the fireworks from the Great Stone Faces!" Shisui suggested. His tone was that of an excited child and Itachi shook his head but found himself smiling endearingly. The two jumped from rooftop to rooftop, the March breeze nipping at the pair's exposed arms and legs. Something about it felt so liberating. They reached the Great Stone Faces within minutes and Itachi perched himself atop the sculpture of Sarutobi Hiruzen. Shisui sat closely beside him, the two being shoulder-to-shoulder.

"5 more days until you get back to your usual ANBU activity." Itachi stretched his arms, a sweet sleepiness suddenly washing over him. He yawned.

"Yeah. Can't wait," he replied.

"But then we won't be able to see each other for a while," Shisui softly uttered. Itachi's somnolent state of mind didn't register the underlying sentiments in his friend's voice. A silence enveloped them for a moment.

"Just be careful out there 'tachi. I know you're an excellent shinobi but I really don't want to wake up with Kakashi at my door telling me you've died heroically in battle. I'd be devastated." Itachi chuckled.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Everything will be fine." And with that, beautiful patterns of bright oranges, reds, pinks and purples erupted in the sky in spirals and whirls, twinkling and blazing just like Shisui Uchiha's heart whenever he saw Itachi Uchiha.


	3. Progression

Itachi lay wide awake, hours before his first mission in a week. His eyes trailed after the flickering shadows formed on the ceiling by a candle. He had dreamt of the same nightmare again. Itachi found it peculiar that every time it recurred, it was more and more detailed and vivid. It had been particularly awful this time. As the blade pierced through a womanly torso, he saw his mother's smiling face, blood dripping down her chin. He had woken with a gasp, chest heaving up and down. Itachi reminded himself it was just a dream and tried to fall asleep again but to no avail. Every time he closed his eyes, he would see that image of his mother.

His eyes adjusted to the semi-darkness and he made out the silhouettes of the various items in his room. The desk and chair he used when he wrote out his reports, his ANBU mask, the potted bonsai tree Shisui gave him for his 17th birthday. According to him, he needed something to look at to de-stress and get his mind off his responsibilities. It would be a shame if his 'beautiful' face was ruined by premature wrinkles, he had said.

The mission debriefing had taken place that evening. As his team knelt in front of Sarutobi Hiruzen, he informed them that the duration of the mission would be a week. A group of Amegakure shinobi had infiltrated the village and disguised themselves as proctors for the chūnin exams. Their suspicious activity was noticed immediately by an ANBU out of uniform. Majority of the group managed to flee in time, minus one. He was interrogated by Ibiki Morino, the objective of their 'visit' being to kidnap Hyūga Hinata, the successor of the Hyūga Clan, and obtain the Byakugan and its secrets. Team Rō were to eliminate the threat as fast as possible otherwise the Hyūga Clan would continue to be targeted. If they were lucky and located the enemies ahead of schedule, the mission would last no more than 3 days.

Itachi sighed and hit his head against his pillow, mentally beating himself up. Sleep-deprived, he wouldn't be able to perform at the best of his ability. He knew for a fact his movements would be more sluggish and slow. He didn't want to be a liability to the team and end up unintentionally leading them to their deaths just because he wasn't able to kill the enemy in time. His lips twitched as he suddenly recalled the random memory of Shisui attempting to wake him up from his nap. He had flashed his Sharingan at him with mock murderous intent and the elder had nearly pissed himself. 'I really thought that was the end of me. On my gravestone: RIP Uchiha Shisui. Cause of death: His best friend skinning him alive.' Memories of him and Shisui was the last thing on his mind before he slowly fell into a deep, heavy slumber with the slightest silhouette of a smile on his face.

"Nii-san! Nii-san!" Sasuke yelled, launching his entire weight onto the sleeping, lifeless form. Itachi grumbled at the sudden force on his back. It was too early for Sasuke's shenanigans.

"Wake up, nii-san! You're gonna be late for your mission!" Sasuke enthusiastically jumped up and down on his back. Turning on his back, he pulled Sasuke against his chest and sighed in content. A small giggle erupted from the child. Itachi fluttered his eyes open, narrowing them at the influx of light in his room. He yawned.

"Eww your breath stinks!" Itachi rolled his eyes and smiled mischievously at the child as an idea popped into his head.

"Fire Style! Morning breath jutsu!" Itachi exclaimed as he viciously 'released the jutsu'. Sasuke squealed, halfway between excitement and disgust. Itachi chased Sasuke around his room and hauled him up on his muscular shoulders.

"Nooo the enemy has captured you!" Sasuke giggled gleefully, half falling off Itachi's broad shoulders, gripping onto his throat for dear life. Suddenly, the door slid open, the Uchiha's mother crossing her arms.

"Sasuke, come help me prepare breakfast." The gentleness in her tone indicated that she wasn't angry at the early commotion.

"Coming!"

"And you, Itachi. Get ready for your mission. It's already 6.30." She closed the door and padded down the hallway. The team would meet up at the village gates at 7 on the dot. Itachi promptly washed his face and dressed in his ANBU uniform. He ran a brush through his ebony locks and tied them back with his old, scruffy ribbon. His hair was getting too long. It would hinder him in battle. He'd have to get it cut soon despite his mother's complaints not to.

Itachi quickly double-checked his tool pouch, adding some more explosive tags and kunais before sitting down for breakfast with his family. His father was silently drinking coffee, eyes fixated on the newspaper he was reading. The usual scowl rested on his rough features, the aura around him authoritative. Sasuke was messily spooning rice into his own mouth and his mother was dishing out miso soup.

"Let me help you, Mother." Mikoto smiled in gratitude at her dependable son. Itachi placed the bowls at everyone's seat respectively before he sat down.

"_Thank you for the food_," they all said in unison before digging in. A silence enveloped the kitchen, chopsticks scraping and hitting the bowls the only sound present.

"Itachi," Fugaku suddenly spoke. The one called tensed and his good mood from earlier this morning dissipated. His father was always so professional even within his own family, it bothered him.

"Yes Father?"

"There's a clan meeting next week. I want you to attend it." His eyes never looked up from his meal, almost as if his son wasn't of enough significance to pay attention to. It infuriated Itachi how his father spoke to him as if he was some kind of lackey from the Police Force that he could just manipulate left and right.

"Yes Father." _Stay calm. Do not react. _After all these years, he should have been used to his father's indifference. Should have. Sasuke looked up at his older brother in a worrisome manner with doe eyes.

"Can I come instead, Papa?"

"No son, you are much too young. Perhaps when you grow," Fugaku dismissed. A look of disappointment came about Sasuke's face and he pouted.

"Aw…" Itachi smiled comfortingly at him. He finished his meal and stood up, kissing his mother on her cheek. He poked Sasuke's forehead and smiled.

"See you in a week, Sasuke." Mikoto stood up to see him out. She cupped Itachi's face with her cool hands and knitted her brow, a habit she had developed when Itachi became ANBU. Only she knew how much she fretted when Itachi was gone on missions. She hugged him tightly, unwilling to let him go.

"Please be careful Itachi…" Her voice reverberated through his chest. Itachi rubbed her back, inevitably feeling every vertebrae of her spine jutting out painfully. He felt even more affectionate than usual towards her as he recalled last night's dream.

"You've lost weight, Mother. Eat more often, will you?" She chuckled.

"I need to look good for your father." _Father, Father, Father. _Itachi pressed his lips together in a straight line and he couldn't hold back an exasperated sigh from escaping.

"You look beautiful anyway, Mother. Even more so now. Don't listen to what Father thinks." Mikoto swatted his arm playfully, a grin emerging onto her delicate features. Itachi placed the panther-like porcelain mask on his face and positioned his sword on his back.

"I'm off." And with that, he vanished with a _poof, _leaving white peaks of smoke behind. He teleported onto a random rooftop and began making his way to the village gate.

Thankfully Itachi had arrived before his captain, Kakashi. That didn't make him look as bad. His two other teammates, Gai and Hayate were already waiting at the gate. Gai was doing handstand push-ups.

"Good morning Turtle, Weasel." Itachi bowed to the two.

"ITACHI, MY BOY! IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU! I HOPE YOU HAVE BEEN TRAINING!" Gai's loudness momentarily stunned Itachi and he lifted him off the ground into a bone-crushing bear hug. He groaned, his breathing being constricted.

"I-I can't breathe…" Gai instantly dropped him, Itachi falling on his backside. He coughed viciously, bringing his hands to his throat. Gai really didn't realise how much brute strength he had.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just excited to get back into the flow of things!" Itachi already knew Gai was flashing him his blinding smile behind his porcelain mask. Hayate kept his distance, acting as if Itachi was some kind of bubonic plague. For some reason, he didn't really like the Uchiha. Why, Itachi did not know. He had only been courteous and polite to the elder.

"Good morning," is all Hayate said to him.

"That damned Kakashi! Where is he? We were supposed to leave 20 minutes ago." Gai crossed his arms and shook his head. As if on cue, Kakashi lazily strolled towards them, green book in hand. Itachi's face burned as he remembered his experience with the erotic novel and he was thankful the mask was covering his face. Gai and Kakashi would never let him live it down. The copy-nin cocked two fingers out, jauntily saluting.

"Kakashi! Where were you? We were supposed to leave 20 minutes ago!" Gai cried. Itachi smirked in amusement behind his mask. Gai resembled a huffy lover.

"Ahh, sorry about that. I got caught up rescuing an old lady's cat in a mountain." The copy-nin's tone was indifferent.

"You know, your excuses are getting worse and worse…" Hayate mumbled under his breath. Kakashi simply scratched his head. He closed the book with a 'snap' and stowed it away.

"I take it you all remember the objective of the mission?" They all nodded.

"Excellent. Now then, Crow and I will be positioned at the front while Turtle and Weasel will be positioned behind. Any complaints?" Silence.

"Get into formation and we'll begin running north-west."

The familiar burning sensation began crawling up Itachi's calves. They had been running for ten hours now, taking a few breaks just to check they weren't being tailed or ambushed. It was now twilight. Itachi had commanded one of his crows to fly ahead and scout the area within a five kilometre distance for enemies. The crow reported back as negative. He couldn't sense any stranger's chakra either around him. The enemies were quick on their feet. Kakashi suddenly dropped onto the forest floor, the rest following suite. An extinguished campfire lay behind a series of bushes. Kakashi summoned Pakkun.

'Pakkun. How long has this fire been here for?' The canine sniffed the ashes.

'Around fourteen hours Boss.' Kakashi nodded and the canine dissipated with a 'poof'.

'If the enemies have been awake since dawn and have been running with no breaks, chances are they will be much weaker in combat,' Itachi contemplated aloud.

'That's a baseless assumption for now,' Hayate commented with a tone of snootiness.

'It's possible.' Gai firmly added, putting his hand on his hip. Itachi mentally thanked Gai for subtly defending him.

'Night will soon fall. If Itachi's theory is correct, they will most definitely camp for the night, probably expecting us to do the same,' Kakashi contemplated. A silence enveloped the team as they awaited further commands.

'Alright. I trust in Itachi. What he said is logical. We'll aim for an ambush. If that doesn't work, strike the second the enemy notices us. Drink some water now and take some food pills. Then get back into formation and continue north-west.'

They continued jumping from tree to tree. Adrenaline coursed through Itachi's veins after taking the pills from the Akimichi Clan. He hadn't felt this giddy and bloodthirsty in a long time. After another hour of running, Kakashi suddenly halted. The others formed a circle, increasing visibility between them.

Kakashi signed the word 'scout' to Itachi and he complied. Materialising a crow on his forearm, he activated his Sharingan and looked the crow in the eye. He formed a handsign and gave the crow momentum to fly. Itachi closed his eyes, his senses on high alert. This specific jutsu allowed the user to see from the crow's point of view. It was a jutsu that Itachi had been working on and perfecting for two years now.

Itachi's eyebrows shot up. The enemies were setting up to camp for the night ten minutes east from them. He formed another handsign and the crow dematerialised with a loud 'caw', ebony feathers exploding around it.

'Report.'

'There are ten enemies in total. Five are on guard and five are sleeping. There's a 20 metre distance between the sleeping enemies and guards.' The leader nodded.

'Back into formation.'

They sped up, lighter on their feet to avoid alerting their enemies to their whereabouts. It was almost pitch black, the moon occasionally peeping through the dense forest, the silver light shining only as far as five metres ahead. Under any other circumstance, Kakashi would have avoided engaging an enemy in the night. But this situation was far too convenient. They would use the night to their advantage to mask their movements. Kakashi stopped abruptly. They regathered within a two minute radius of the location.

'Weasel and I will take out the sleepers. Turtle and Crow, stay on guard above us. If the guards notice anything suspicious, kill all but one. We need to extract information from him,' Kakashi commanded. Everyone nodded. They all ran ahead and split, Kakashi and Hayate descending to the forest floor, Itachi and Gai climbing up into a tree directly above the guards.

Itachi watched as the two snuck into the camp with impeccable stealth. The copy-nin muffled a half awake enemy with his hand and swiftly slit his throat with a kunai. It was time they took action as well. Itachi materialised a crow onto his arm and sent it straight towards the guards. It made eye contact with all of them, effectively paralysing them.

Itachi looked at Gai and nodded. Gai leapt down from the branch and landed lightly on his feet. For a man with his muscle density it was impressive, Itachi observed. A moment later, the sickening sound of bones being crunched echoed through the foliage as Gai twisted the necks of the enemies, effectively and cleanly eliminating all but one. They fell like dominoes to the ground with a thud. Kakashi and Hayate appeared before Gai. Itachi jumped down from his hiding spot and joined them.

'We finished our end.' Gai nodded.

'We left one as you wished. He's unable to talk at the moment seeing as he's under a paralysis jutsu.'

'Tie him up. Crow, release the paralysis jutsu and put a chakra suppressant jutsu on him instead,' Kakashi ordered.

'Understood.' Itachi quickly weaved his handsigns, the blue aura of chakra appearing on his hand. He activated his Sharingan and hit all the chakra points on the enemy. The enemy's scream pierced the team's eardrums, the searing chakra imitating the sensation of a third degree burn on his skin. The raven-haired ANBU then released the infinite time space jutsu.

'We can officially begin now. Co-operate with us and we'll make this as easy and painless as we can.' The Amegakure ninja's eyes flashed with defiance.

'You're not getting anything out of me,' he spat. _'Pain_ will rain terror on you _leaf scum_.' Kakashi sighed in exasperation.

'My my. I didn't even get to ask a question. _Wrong answer anyway._ Let's give him a little taste of _leaf hospitality, _Weasel.'

Hayate stepped forward and unsheathed his sword, the precious metal shining under the moonlight. With one swift movement, he chopped off two of the nin's fingers. A chilling scream reverberated through the forest as he lost two of his appendages. Itachi fought the urge to gag him.

'You b-bastards!' He wheezed in pain. Kakashi ignored him.

'Why were you after Hinata Hyuga.' It was more of a demand rather than a question. The nin grinned in a twisted manner. Normally, his expression would freeze the blood in the veins of any person. Except the ANBU weren't normal. They had seen too much on the battlefields, trifle affairs like this had no effect on them. Itachi grew up witnessing deaths in the Shinobi War. This was mere child's play to him.

'What do you think is the biggest business on the black market right now?' The nin enquired rhetorically, the sickly grin still on his marred features.

'I know many feudal lords who would pay _big bucks_ for the Princess of the Hyuga Clan. Ones who would even go so far _to betray their wives and children_.' The lecherous tone of the nin made Itachi scowl.

_How unorthodox_, he thought.

'So you're implying that you were sent to abduct Hinata Hyuga in order to sell her into _prostitution_? _A_ _child_?' There was no mistaking the tone of disgust in Gai's voice. His features cringed behind his mask. Clearly his employer was a pedophile.

'Who hired you?' Kakashi demanded. The nin simply smirked and shrugged his shoulders. Itachi could see that his captain's patience was starting to wear thin.

'You know, for someone whose life is in _my hands_, you really should drop the cockiness and be more self aware.' A ball of flashing, screaming chakra suddenly materialised into Kakashi's palm.

'_I won't repeat myself again,'_ he said through gritted teeth. The nin remained silent. Kakashi sighed in defeat.

'Turtle.'

Gai stepped forward. He forcefully grabbed the nin's arm and began applying mammoth pressure onto his forearm. With a loud 'crack', he shattered the nin's bones. He repeated the process on the same arm, making sure he would be physically unable to form handsigns. The nin screamed, the shrillness hurting Itachi's eardrums.

'_Don't make me break your legs next_,' Gai lowly threatened. The nin let out laboured breaths, his vision blurring from reaching his highest pain threshold. Despite that, he still remained silent.

'Let me try,' Itachi spoke up. He took off his porcelain mask, revealing glowing crimson orbs, a similar colour to the blood flowing down the nin's hand. The nin's eyes widened in terror as he made eye contact with him, his body violently shivering.

'Y-You're…' The black accents in the Uchiha's Sharingan rotated. The nin's eyes rolled back into his head and his jaw dropped in a silent scream as he was suddenly in an infinite timespace, crucified. A million knives were thrown into the heart, liver and intestines of the Amegakure nin. Five minutes in reality were twenty years in Itachi's infinite time space. The nin suddenly heaved, vomiting in front of him.

'_I'm so glad I'm on your good side_,' Gai mumbled.

Itachi released the genjutsu, the whites of the nin's eyes almost bulging out of his sockets. Calmly, Itachi held a kunai to the nin's throat.

'This is your last chance. Who do you work for?' He softly said in the man's ear. The nin sharply inhaled. He saw the bloodthirst, the rage waiting to be unleashed in the ANBU's eyes.

'_Pain_,' he whispered, almost ashamed. Itachi brought the knife closer to the man's throat.

'What are his objectives?' The nin gulped.

'T-To steal the visual prowess of Hinata Hyuga and earn money for funding by trafficking her to several feudal lords as their slave.'

'Funding for _what?_' Itachi enquired, touching the cool metal of the kunai against the man's neck. He yelped.

'H-He wants to start some kind of organisation! Uh- to achieve world peace!' Itachi looked at his captain and he nodded. Without any hesitation, the ANBU member slit the man's throat, his head lolling back into the crook of his neck. Putting the porcelain mask on his face, Itachi retreated back to the others. He swayed on his feet for a second, the last jutsu had taken a toll on his sleep-deprived body.

'Itachi, are you feeling alright?' Gai asked, concerned.

'He's fine, he's an Uchiha,' Hayate butted in. Itachi chose to ignore the cretin.

'Im fine, Gai. Just feeling a little lethargic.' His vision swam in front of him just as he said that and the Uchiha had to grab onto Gai's shoulder to steady himself.

'Allow me to carry you on my back! I need to improve my stamina anyway!' Itachi glanced at Kakashi.

'That would be for the best, Itachi.'

'If you really insist…' Gai lowered himself on the ground and Itachi gingerly put his arms around his teammate's broad neck. Grabbing onto his thighs, Gai straightened his back with such speed that Itachi bounced.

'You're as light as a feather Itachi! Are you eating properly?' His teammate asked incredulously.

'I am, don't worry.'

'Back into formation!'

On the way home, Itachi fell asleep against Gai's back. He dreamt of Shisui's equally broad shoulders enveloping him in a warm hug.


	4. Development

_Blood orange. Crimson red. Hot pink. Fluorescent yellow. _The blinding colours of the fireworks shot up in the air, lighting the dark starry nights of Konoha ablaze. The rhythmic beat of taiko drums and melodious trill of the flute filled the streets of the main town square. Vendors of all sorts of delights vocally advertised their treats and paper lanterns brightly lit the market. The _clack _of traditional wooden sandals against the pavement drowned in the music. Women donned adorned kimonos and men sported yukatas, saved for the best of occasions. It was the night of the Cherry Blossom Festival, an important celebration of spring that annually took place in Konoha.

Shisui let out a melancholic sigh. He had somehow gotten stuck with being out on patrol for the Police Force, _again._ When Fugaku came to him, saying that he was short on surveillance numbers for the festival, he internally screamed. A wise saying from the Nara clan came to mind at that moment: '_what a drag.'_ Shisui had been glued to the same spot for the past two hours on the sides of the street, keeping an eye out for any fights that broke out. In all honesty, he wanted nothing more than to go home, take a hot bath and rest.

Shisui guessed that it was about 9pm. He had already broken up five drunken fights in the past hour. Unfortunately the culprits were _not so well behaved_ and Shisui wanted nothing more than to beat their asses to a pulp when they cursed profanities at him over and over again for intervening. Another melancholic sigh escaped past his lips. The loud music was starting to irritate him. His mind drifted away, trying to drown out the sounds.

He wondered how Itachi's mission was going. The Uchiha was meant to be away for three days and Shisui wondered how on earth he was going to keep himself occupied. Three days felt like an eternity. He needed his daily dose of teasing Itachi. Realistically, he didn't have that many friends. Acquaintances and colleagues sure- but he didn't have as strong of a bond with anyone else except for Itachi. Knowing him, he would come out of battle unscathed but Shisui still felt a sense of worry deep in the pits of his stomach. A sense of foreboding. He shook his head in a futile attempt to drive off his negative thoughts.

He snapped out of his daze when all of a sudden, he noticed a young woman looking uncomfortable as a drunk man struck up an unwanted conversation with her. The man slowly inched closer and closer to her, a lecherous grin on his face. The woman stepped backwards, looking more and more distressed by the second. He grabbed her by the waist, attempting to kiss her while she struggled and resisted against him. The man furrowed his brow in anger and raised his hand against her when-

'Now now, sir. That's no way to treat a lady.' Shisui had teleported between them and grabbed the man's forearm just in time, preventing him from striking the woman.

'Wha- Where did you come from?' The man huffily demanded. The woman let out a sigh of relief.

'Never mind that. Do you know this young lady?'

'No but-'

'Then please refrain from inappropriately touching her.'

'Wha- Who the hell do you think you are, you bastard!?' The drunken man sputtered indignantly.

'Sir, walk away before this gets ugly.'

'You wanna _go_, you punk?' He uttered through gritted teeth. Shisui smirked at him, contemplating. He sized his opponent up. Alright_,_ at least he'd be getting _some _action tonight, even if it wasn't in the sense he desired.

'Bring it old man.'

The man blindly charged at Shisui and the latter tutted in disapproval. Perhaps the man's disorientation was also due to his intoxication, but either way, it was clear that he had absolutely _no _experience as a shinobi. Shisui dodged his blind punches with ease. Even Sasuke fought better than this and he was twelve, for crying out loud.

Shisui indulged the man for a bit. He toyed with him like a predator toying with his prey before a meal. After a while, he had grown tired of the tomfoolery. Just as the man swung another countless punch at him, Shisui grabbed his arm and flipped him over his shoulder as if he was a sack of feathers. The man landed on the ground with a groan. He held the man's arms behind his back, making sure to twist them a bit.

'Run along now and stop causing trouble for your wife.' The man scurried off, disappearing into the crowd with his tail between his legs.

'Um… thank you very much for saving me tonight.' Shisui was almost startled as he forgot that the young woman was still standing there.

'No problem. Have a good night and stay safe.' Shisui turned to walk away, when the sleeve of his shirt was gently grabbed.

'Wait. Is there any way I can repay you?' A glint of hope glimmered in the woman's amber eyes as she batted her eyelashes at him. Shisui knew that look. Countless women approached him at taverns with that look. He simply smiled at her.

'I haven't done anything worth being repaid for.' And with that, Shisui walked away, crushing the woman's hopes.

'Alright Gai, I can take him from here.'

It was the crack of dawn when Team Ro finally reached the grounds of Konoha. Just as they had arrived at the gates, Kakashi had taken the slumberful Itachi onto his back. Gai's muscles burned with youth as he glided from branch to branch with the fast-asleep Uchiha on his back the entire way home. As Gai passed him over, the copy-nin put his ear to Itachi's chest, making sure he was still alive. The latter's heartbeats were quiet and faint and he was breathing slowly. Kakashi faced his teammates.

'Rest up. I'll report to Lord Sandaime at noon. Dismissed.' The silver-haired nin received two firm nods in response.

Gai and Hayate disappeared, leaving behind white clouds of smoke. Kakashi drank in the stillness of the village early in the morning. He loved that sense of peace, almost as if time had momentarily stopped. He twisted his neck around to peer at the Uchiha on his back. The silhouettes of an endearing smile made its way onto Kakashi's navy mask as he shook his head out of fondness.

'Second time in a row you get chakra exhaustion, huh Itachi?' He did not receive an answer.

Kakashi agilely jumped from rooftop to rooftop, making his way to the centre of the village. Thankfully the Konoha Hospital ran 24/7 as injured shinobi made their way in and out the doors non-stop. He walked through the glass doors and was greeted with the familiar face of the receptionist, Shizune.

'Good morning Shizune-san. I'd like to admit Itachi Uchiha please. Seems like chakra exhaustion.' Shizune's brows shot up in surprise.

'Again? Isn't this the second time it's happened in two weeks?' Kakashi chuckled sheepishly.

'Seems like he wasn't performing to the best of his ability this mission. His chakra exhaustion is most likely related to that.' Shizune quickly scribbled something down on a clipboard.

'Left wing, room 6-A. I'll get Tsunade-sama to take a look at him later, see if there's any serious damage.' He nodded in acknowledgment.

Kakashi made his way to the left wing and nimbly opened the door of Itachi's assigned room with his leg. He unceremoniously dumped the Uchiha onto the stark white sheets, his limbs splayed akimbo. The copy-nin adjusted his position, propping his head up on a pillow and tucking him in. Kakashi drew the curtains shut and walked out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

The fresh, crisp morning air nipped at Shisui's bare arms as he walked through the marketplace. The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the Uchiha's nostril, putting him in a pleasant mood. Carrying a wicker basket in the crook of his elbow, he inspected various vegetables, picking them up and lightly squeezing them in the palm of his hand, eyeing the colour carefully, humming all the while. His fridge was running on empty and he desperately needed some vitamins in his system. After completing his purchases, the familiar silver bush of the village's copy-nin caught his attention. Shisui furrowed his brow in confusion.

Kakashi was standing in front of a collector's edition promotion poster for one of his 'books' a few feet away from the Uchiha. The man watched with slight disgust as the silver-haired nin made some excited noises and gestures. But besides that, he was puzzled. Not because Kakashi was being a major pervert in public (that was normal) but because his team weren't meant to be back so soon. Was Itachi alright? He hadn't notified Shisui that he had arrived. Usually after completing missions, the two would drop by each others' homes to greet each other and then maybe go out and have a meal together. The flame of foreboding began flickering and crackling in the pits of Shisui's lower abdomen.

'Good morning, Kakashi-san,' Shisui greeted, bowing slightly. There was a certain edge to his tone that didn't go unnoticed. Kakashi briskly cocked out his two fingers and saluted Shisui, his usual greeting.

'Yo Shisui. How are missions going? I heard you've become the Police Force's newest slave,' he chuckled in amusement.

'Unfortunately. But I do it out of respect for Itachi's father, he puts his heart and soul into the clan.' Kakashi nodded. It was widely known that Fugaku Uchiha was the most respected Uchiha in the village.

'Speaking of Itachi, where is he? I thought the mission was meant to last three days? How come you're back so early?' A mischievous smirk danced on Kakashi's lips behind his mask.

'Oh, Itachi? He's in hospital right now,' he casually said, flipping through his erotic book nonchalantly. The Uchiha's eyes widened the size of saucers.

'What!? Is he okay?'

'We're unaware of his current condition. Tsunade hasn't consulted with him yet. We only arrived at dawn, at most a few hours ago.' The copy-nin's tone was laced with gravity. Shisui envisioned Itachi getting his arm cut off, his Sharingan being gouged out, multiple kunais and shuriken ripping through his torso. His heart dropped.

'He passed out shortly after the mission.'

But by the time Kakashi had finished his sentence, the Uchiha had frantically run off, leaving a trail of dust in his wake. The silver-nin closed his book with a 'snap', satisfied with the situation he had just created. Itachi would have to thank him later.

'Itachi Uchiha! Where is he?! I need to see him!'

Poisoned needles were suddenly flung at the Uchiha as a fight-or-flight response. He reacted quickly, dodging just in time as one particular needle grazed his shoulder. Shisui had quite literally used his shushin jutsu to teleport himself in the reception of Konoha Hospital.

'A more civilised entrance would've been appreciated,' Shizune said as she sat back down at the reception, trying to steady her manic heartbeat. She sighed, crossing her legs and flipping through administrative papers.

'My apologies, Shizune-san. It's just, Kakashi told me Itachi was hospitalised and-'

'He's fine. He's sleeping as we speak.'

'Wha- But I thought he was severely injured?' Shizune gave him a look of disbelief. Itachi was hospitalised twice, maybe three times a year. It was widely known inside and outside the village that he was untouchable on battle. He was known as 'The Angel of Death' because he was otherworldly in battle. Maybe a handful of shinobi lived to tell their experiences of encountering the Uchiha.

'Itachi's been hospitalised as a result of chakra fatigue. He's sleeping right now. Tsunade-sama is scheduled to consult him tomorrow morning.'

Shisui felt his cheeks flare up in embarrassment. He rubbed his face self-consciously._ Ugh, I'm such an idiot, running over here as if I'm his lover or something. _As well as wanting the ground to swallow him whole right then and there, that heavy feeling of anticipation and worry lifted off of Shisui's shoulders. He felt unbelievably relieved.

'Room 6-A, left wing. You know the visiting hours,' Shizune non-committedly stated as she continued going through administrative papers.

'Thank you.'

The elder quietly swung open the door of Itachi's assigned room, appeased to see his familiar form sleeping peacefully, propped up on a pillow. His sharp features now formed a more tranquil expression compared to his usual poker face. Shisui quietly pulled the stool sitting in the corner of the room to Itachi's bedside.

He sat and observed how Itachi's raven, silky hair fanned out around the pillow, like a seamless waterfall. Shisui had to admit, he had a slight obsession with Itachi's locks. No woman in Konoha had hair as beautiful as Itachi's. Whenever the light would hit it during the summer, a beautiful blue hue would shine through. It hypnotised Shisui. Or when the breeze would gently blow through it and the younger Uchiha's features would peek through, like his defined jaw, reminding Shisui that he was strong and resilient despite having a slightly feminine appearance. Itachi mostly kept his hair tied with a tatty red ribbon. In fact, Shisui had gotten him that ribbon as a child when Itachi first began growing his hair out. It was a birthday present.

''_tachi why do you still use that shabby thing I gave you? I'll just get you a new one, it's too ratty.' Shisui, splayed on Itachi's bed, watched through the mirror as the latter tied the ribbon around his hair, his fingers deftly gathering his silken locks together. Itachi pouted._

'_Because I value it. After all, you gave it to me and I trust you with my life.' Itachi wisely explained._

'_But I can buy you as many ribbons as your heart desires, in as many colours as you'd like!' Shisui childishly exclaimed. A big smile erupted onto Itachi's child-like features as the two made eye contact through the mirror._

A smile creeped onto Shisui's lips at the fond memory. He sighed wistfully, a sweet yet bitter feeling radiating through his chest. He gently picked up a lock of Itachi's silken hair and wrapped it around his forefinger poignantly as he recalled another memory, stowed away deep in the back of his mind.

The summer of four years ago. Shisui was sixteen at the time and Itachi must have been fourteen. Shisui was spending the night at Itachi's as his parents were away on a week-long mission. During that week, he saw many sides to Itachi: a more spoiled and indulgent Itachi, a huffy Itachi, a joyful Itachi.

Shisui recalled one particular afternoon where Itachi was lazily napping on the tatami by the garden, curled up like a cat. Itachi's complexion had turned darker and more olive from all the time the two spent in the sun, playing by the river. Shisui could still recall the disheveled yukata the younger sported that day as he dozed off. The way the cloth creased and folded, revealing his bare chest and upper legs. The way his chest rose and fell with every breath he took. The elder Uchiha had never seen a sight like that before. It felt… intimate, like he had seen something he shouldn't have.

Shisui remembered feeling puzzled at the feelings the sight evoked within him: hot flashes, goosebumps and shock. He remembered his initial reaction upon seeing his best friend like that- his heart skipping a beat. This instinct suddenly welled up in him as the only thought going through his mind in that moment was '_kiss him_'. He feared Itachi would awaken as he knew he was a light sleeper. The blood thumped in his ears as he slowly leaned closer and closer until he innocently placed his lips upon the latter's for a few seconds. After realising what he had done, Shisui had gone as red as a tomato. He had just shared his first kiss with his best friend. He ran into his shared bedroom and hit his head against the pillow multiple times, mortified at what he had just done. He remembered avoiding Itachi like the plague for the next few days.

Bringing himself back to reality, Shisui felt himself burning up as he glanced at Itachi's sleeping face. He put his head into his hands, heating up out of shame. _I can't believe I remembered that._ A goofy grin made its way onto Shisui's lips at how unbelievably innocent he used to be. Even as a child, he was instinctively attracted to the man in front of him. He sighed gloomily, knowing his type of 'love' was different from Itachi's love for him. Shisui was aware that the younger Uchiha looked up to him in a brotherly sense and he didn't want to shatter the latter's idealistic image of him. Frankly, it was becoming increasingly difficult for Shisui to keep up this brotherly, heroic façade.

Shisui sat by Itachi's side throughout the night as he bittersweetly recalled memories between the two. The last thing Shisui remembered was the pale moonlight shining through the window, illuminating Itachi's silhouette before he too, passed out.


End file.
